The Missing Piece
by doctordumayax
Summary: I'm no good at summaries. xD Post film. A/A. Rated T for later chapters. Spoilers.
1. Chapter 1: Time To Say Goodbye

**A/N: I don't own Arthur or Ariadne. They belong to Christopher Nolan. I hope to update this with another chapter later today, but we'll see how my inspiration is. Thanks in advance for reading. (:**

**xo**

-

The plane that carried The Team and Fischer across the Atlantic Ocean had landed safely in Los Angeles, California. Their mission of inception was successful. Everyone would go their separate ways, and try to get back to some semblance of normalcy. Dominic would go back to his kids, Philippa and James, Eames would go gamble away his pay in Las Vegas somewhere before heading home to Mombasa, and Ariadne would go back to Paris. Arthur didn't know what he would do. He joined Cobb because dream sharing fascinated him. As time went on, Arthur grew to love the job. He wouldn't want to dedicate his organizational skills to anything but the job.

They passed through customs, Arthur making small chat with Ariadne, and they each disappeared as their luggage rolled around the carousel. Arthur had stuck close to Ariadne ever since Dom had brought her to The Team as their new Architect. He trained her and watched as she drew labyrinths and mazes with frustration. He taught her about paradoxes and was impressed when she came up with a chess piece as her totem. Arthur knew that, as the Architect, her totem fit her perfectly. She designed the dreams and mazes, and moved around the levels, much like a game of chess. She wasn't like their last Architect, though. Ariadne was more outspoken, unafraid to voice her concerns about how she thought what they were doing – invading Fischer's mind – was wrong. She'd say she'd want no part of it; she'd leave only to come back after a few hours due to her intellectual curiosity.

_"It's just…pure creation."  
"There's nothing quite like it."_

She had a penchant for silk scarves, each one as unique as Ariadne herself. Each day they saw each other, she had a different scarf, embellished with intricate needlework on the delicate material. She was a klutz, always dropping pencils and paper all over the warehouse, but she was a perfectionist. Her labyrinths were detailed and intricately designed, yet inescapable to the untrained. And yet, it was her complexities and quirks that drew Arthur to Ariadne.

Arthur had never felt this way, ever. He'd always been too involved in his job that he'd never felt any sort of feelings for anyone, besides Dom and Eames. Past his stony façade of a cleanly shaven face and a crisp suit, he cared for Ariadne. He couldn't explain it. Maybe it was the late nights spent working on the Fischer job at the warehouse, the time they spent discussing what had happened to Dom's wife, Mal. Or maybe it was the fact that Ariadne had been the only person to make Arthur laugh since they'd started the Fischer job.

Any way he looked at it, Arthur had dreaded this moment since he got on the plane with her. Saying goodbye. They stood awkwardly outside the airport, luggage beside them, or slung over a shoulder. Arthur stole glances at Ariadne as he adjusted his black tie.

"So I guess this is goodbye?" She asked, looking up at him. He liked the way the breeze picked up the ends of her chocolate brown hair and tossed them around in the air.

"I guess." Arthur frowned slightly.

A sigh and a nod emitted from The Architect. "Goodbye, Arthur." He watched as she left, trailing a small piece of luggage behind her. She'd be back in Paris before the week's end.

"Ariadne?" He called after her, only slightly hoping she didn't hear him. When she turned around, a quizzical look on her face, Arthur froze. He wanted to ask her to get a bite to eat, maybe a couple drinks. He'd ask her to stay because he wanted her to. Because he needed her to. "Keep in touch, alright? The next few days might be rough especially after what we got ourselves into. Don't be afraid to call me." Ariadne nodded and Arthur waited until she disappeared before he caught a cab to an apartment that he'd rented before The Team had gone off on various jobs.

The Point Man ran a hand through his slick hair as he pushed open the door to his apartment. It looked vaguely familiar, but he hadn't seen the interior for what must have been months by now. He tossed his bags by the door and collapsed on the couch. Arthur didn't dream anymore. He'd been doing the job for a few years now, and he couldn't dream unless a needle was stuck in his arm. Every night, he told himself he'd have a dream without the PASIV, and every night, it never happened. He was angry and confused, convinced that there was something wrong with him. Until Dom told him he hadn't had dreams after Mal passed away.

So, when Arthur closed his eyes, the only thing that ran through his mind was memories of moments he shared with Ariadne. Caring about someone was an odd feeling for him. He'd never let anyone see past his suits and clean cut look, until she showed up. Before her, he was all business, never showing a glimpse of any emotion. But when Dom brought her around for her first training workshop, something changed.

_"Hey, hey look at me. You're okay. You're okay."_

His thin lips curled into the ghost of a smile as he thought about her. He liked everything about her. He liked her silly scarves and the red sweater she always wore. Her indecisive and compassionate nature. The way he made her feel when they kissed, even though it was only a dream. Her soft smile and uncanny ability to grasp the concept of creating a dream world. The way she grew increasingly frustrated as she drew labyrinths at all hours of the night, throwing crunched up balls of paper and pencils around the warehouse. The way she never noticed he stole glances at her.

_"Quick, give me a kiss."  
"They're still looking at us."  
"Yeah, it was worth a shot."_

He knew Ariadne would have a hard time adjusting to normalcy after her first dreamscape mission was an inception and not just a simple extraction. She'd want more of the dream world and less of reality, and eventually, things would become increasingly worse. Eventually, Arthur grimaced slightly, she'd become like Mal. She'd become convinced that the dream world was real, and that reality wasn't. She'd want the dream world over reality, and Arthur didn't want that to happen. He didn't want to be like Dom.

Arthur's phone rang and buzzed incessantly in his pants pocket. He snapped his eyes open and glanced at the clock across the room. Hours had flown by and the sun had been down for a long time. He pulled out his phone with a slender hand and glanced at the display. A smile crept onto his face.

"Ariadne?"


	2. Chapter 2: Lost Along The Way

**A/N: Wow! Thanks for the positive feedback on the last chapter. I've had so many people add me to watches and stuff, so thank you! I never expected this! :)**

_Arthur's phone rang and buzzed incessantly in his pants pocket. He snapped his eyes open and glanced at the clock across the room. Hours had flown by and the sun had been down for a long time. He pulled out his phone with a slender hand and glanced at the display. A smile crept onto his face._

"_Ariadne?"_

"_You said to call if I needed anything."_

"Did you need something?"

_"No, I was looking for a booty call."_

"They have people for that, Ariadne. You didn't need to call me." Arthur smirked.

_"Is there any way you can come see me?"_

Arthur sat up on the couch, running a hand over his forehead. It was late and he was tired. He didn't want to drive around but it was Ariadne. He couldn't say no even if he tried. "Yeah, sure. Where are you staying?"

_"I'm staying at the Metro Plaza Hotel. Saito got Eames and me rooms to stay in until we leave."_

Arthur felt his stomach drop when she mentioned leaving. In a week's time, he'd only be able to hear her voice on the phone, and even then, they'd be a world apart. "Alright. I'll be there soon. Yeah, don't worry about it, Ariadne. Bye." He shoved his phone into his pocket and stood up. He slipped on his jacket, grabbed his keys and headed out.

After impatiently waiting for the obviously new employee at the front desk to give him Ariadne's room number, Arthur stood in front of the black door, a hand raised and poised to knock on the door. He hesitated, a slight panic started to grow within. He should've asked her what she wanted. Fischer could have suspected something, and this could ultimately be a trap.

Shaking the thought from his mind, he knocked on the door and a moment later, Ariadne appeared. She was visibly agitated, and he was immediately concerned. It was uncharacteristic of her to lose her composure. Out of everyone on the team, she was the one who was able to control her emotions the best. She was always calm, cool and collected.

"Is everything alright?"

"Not really." She stepped aside to allow Arthur entrance into the room.

Everything in the room screamed Saito. Elegant lights affixed to the walls, a secretary's desk positioned next to the window, presumably for a view, a flat screen television, a kitchenette and a king size bed with crisp clean sheets. Rich red walls surrounded them and beige silk curtains, with barely a wrinkle, hid the outside world. There was an island-esque feature that jutted out from the wall to the right of the door, like bar seating. Ariadne's luggage was perched by the wall.

"What was your first mission like?" Ariadne asked, wrapping her arms around her chest. She'd closed the door moments before. It was only them, no suspicious subconscious, no Eames, no Dom, and no Saito. Just Arthur and Ariadne. He wanted to kiss her, to feel her lips on his, but he resisted, at least for now.

"It was…exhilarating." Arthur plunged his hands into his pockets and continued, remembering his first mission with Dom. "Dream sharing was new to me, and I never thought it was possible. I mean, I've heard of people showing up in your dreams but I've never experienced something that…vivid."

"And what about after? Like, after the mission was over. Did you find it hard to go back to normal life?"

Arthur turned to face Ariadne. She looked sullen, eyes downcast to the floor. He took a step towards her, and she looked up at him, a sense of urgency in her eyes. "Yeah, I did."

"Oh."

"And you will too. It won't be easy. Considering your first was an Inception."

"Gee, that's reassuring."

"I wouldn't lie, especially to you." A beat. "After my first mission, I was like a less extreme version of Mal. The only things that kept me from going back to the dream world I craved were Cobb and realizing that I wasn't dreaming already, thanks to my weighted die." He pulled the die out of his pocket, and placed it on the counter where Ariadne's bishop sat. "Mission after mission, it became harder for my brain to process the concept of a dream without the PASIV, and eventually, I stopped dreaming."

Ariadne's brow furrowed, "Will that happen to me?"

"It's happened to all of us. Cobb, Eames and myself. It happened to Mal." He took another step closer to her. "If you don't do any other missions, you should be fine. But, it was an extreme mission. So, I can't say for sure. Everyone's different. It happened to Cobb after Mal passed away, and I'm positive Eames never dreamt in the first place. He fantasized."

Arthur was taken aback by what happened next. Without skipping a beat, Ariadne had closed the little space between them and wrapped her arms around Arthur, like a small child clinging to his mother's leg, seeking safety and solace in something familiar. Her perfume, Fleur de Vanille, wafted up to Arthur's nose. It smelled faintly of vanilla, chocolate and roses.

Instinctively, and somewhat protectively, Arthur enveloped Ariadne in his arms. She was scared, scared of losing touch with reality. Scared of becoming like Mal. They both knew how volatile Mal was, evident to Arthur from Saito's dreams when she shot him in the leg, and evident to Ariadne from both Eames' dreams when she shot Fischer, and from Limbo when she stabbed Cobb with a kitchen knife.

"I don't want to be alone, Arthur." she mumbled, her face pressed against his chest.

He nodded, placing a barely there kiss on the top of her head. "Well, I'm here."

"Can you stay?"

**A/N: Thanks for reading. I've legit got half of Chapter 3 written and I will try to update within the next couple days. If I don't update before Thursday, there might not be an update until Monday because I'm house sitting for a friend and I'm not sure if I'll have access to a computer. But if I don't update until Monday, there will most definitely be more than two or three chapters added but more likely three. (:**


	3. Chapter 3: Definition Of Destiny

**A/N: I have finally gotten around to writing the last bits of Chapter 3. I've rewritten it so many times because I wasn't satisfied with it, but I think it's finally something I'd like to post. No cliff-hanger type ending here. (: Thanks for reading, readers! (:**

**xo**

Rain spattered against the window and Arthur couldn't help but wonder if he was dreaming. It felt too much like a dream but his totem hadn't changed in weight since they were on the plane after the Inception. He thought his mind was playing tricks on him and at any moment, he'd wake up in his apartment, alone, and Ariadne would be back in Paris.

Whatever amount of sleep he could muster up in a chair by the window was all he had gotten so far, be it a couple minutes or a few hours. Just after midnight, he'd convinced Ariadne to get some sleep. It took him promising not to leave for any reason in order to convince her, but she finally gave in and was fast asleep in the king size bed.

Every now and then, barely audible noises and words came from Ariadne's sleeping form. Once or twice, Arthur could swear he had heard his name but every time he looked over his shoulder at her, she was quiet and her back was turned to him.

You're reading too much into this, he told himself. Ariadne only wanted him to stay because he had been through this already; the anxiety is wondering when your next dream would come, if ever it did, and the sadness that came when you realized you would never dream again.

Arthur took languid strides across the room to the kitchenette, brewing himself a cup of coffee. Outside, the sun was pushing the moon out of the sky, eagerly waiting to greet the people below. The rain subsided, leaving behind only the scent of freshly fallen rain and a thin layer of fog draped over the city like a blanket.

As the coffee pot brewed, The Point Man loosened his thin black tie and undid the top buttons of his starch white dress shirt. It gave him a relaxed look; more relaxed then his "casual" looks, where he still appeared to be all business, still with no signs of emotion. Behind him, The Architect had finally woken up, examining Arthur's posture; slightly slouched, staring intently at the coffee pot.

"Watching it won't make it brew faster." A yawn escaped Ariadne's lips as Arthur turned away from the coffee pot, towards her.

"Did you dream last night?" He asked, hoping that she had, that she would be the outlier in this set of non dreamers.

"I wouldn't call it a dream, really. More like a mix of a nightmare and a memory." Ariadne crawled off the bed, her hair and clothes askew.

Arthur's brow furrowed, "Of what?"

"Mal."

"Mal?"

"Yeah. It was my memory of Dom, Eames, Saito, Fischer and I in Eames' dream and Dom and I in Limbo."

"What happened?"

"Well, in Eames' dream, Mal shot Fischer and Dom shot Mal. Then Dom and I followed Mal into Limbo, where she stabbed Dom for not staying with her forever, like he'd promised. It just kept playing in my head like a really bad movie, y'know?"

Arthur nodded and turned back to the coffee pot as it finished brewing the black liquid. He poured two cups and offered one to Ariadne, leaning back on the counter and taking in a glorious whiff of the beverage. He took a sip, watching as Ariadne climbed onto the counter adjacent to him. "What are you going to do now?" He asked, placing the coffee cup on the counter beside him.

Ariadne shrugged, her brow furrowed a bit. "Go back to Paris, back to the University." Ariadne glanced at The Point Man. "Unless I had a reason to stay here in LA."

"Would you stay if I asked you to?"

"I, uh, I'd have to thi-" Ariadne started to speak, but Arthur stopped her. He stood in front of her now, his lips pressed firmly to hers. One hand rested on Ariadne's leg and the other had snaked its way around her waist. Kissing her in reality felt _much_ better than a dream, and though he showed little surprise when he realized she was kissing him back, his satisfaction manifested itself in the form of a smile creeping its way across his face. He pulled away from her, looking into her eyes. He didn't remove his hand from her waist.

"Will you stay? For me?"

"My stuff…it's in Paris. I...if I stayed, I'd need it. I've got classes, as well." She said quietly, a hit of disappointment in her voice.

"We'll get it; we'll go get your stuff. And we'll talk to Miles, maybe there's something he can do about your classes." Arthur's hand brushed strands of hair away from her face, and traced her jaw line. He'd jinxed it, complicated things. She wouldn't stay. It was a coincidence. "Please. Stay with me."

"You're crazy, you know that, right?" Ariadne laughed, holding his face in her hands. "You're really crazy."

"I know, I know…I shouldn't have asked. You've got a life back in Paris."

"Hey, stop." Ariadne rested her forehead against his. "If you want me to stay, I'll stay. If it were anyone else I'd probably say no."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'll stay here with you, Arthur."

**A/N: So, yeah. (: I'm figuring out a way to bring in the rest of the team in the next few chapters. Specifically Eames and Cobb, so they might pop up in coming chapters. Sorry it's so late! If you have any ideas as to how to bring the team back, I'd love to hear 'em. Or any ideas for coming chapters, I'd love to hear them. Send a message (not a review) my way, and I'll consider it. If I use the idea, I'll dedicate the chapter to you. (:**


	4. Chapter 4: Phone Calls & Dinner Parties

**A/N: Sorry to make you wait nearly three weeks. :/ I kept telling myself I'd update the next day, and kept doing it. xD Anyway, it's longer than the usual chapter, so I hope that makes up for it being three weeks late. Enjoy. xo**

**Dedicated to impossiblypossible. (:**

Adriane had a big enough selection of clothes that she and Arthur didn't have to make an impromptu trip to Paris just yet. Arthur had called Dom and asked him to talk to Miles about letting Ariadne return to classes a little later than usual but he didn't dare say any more than her stay had been extended due to "unforeseen circumstances." She'd stay at Arthur's apartment so Saito could save money by only getting a room for Eames (unless, of course, he had purchased the hotel because he believed it would be "easier" that way.)

The pair ventured out in public together, visiting cafes and restaurants as well as tourist-y areas as it was Ariadne's first time in LA. Whatever time they didn't spend out in public places was spent sequestered in Arthur's apartment. They used the PASIV, mainly so Ariadne could build dream worlds and paradoxical situations, honing her skills.

Arthur's eyes snapped open. Sun spilled in through the window bathing the room in gold. He propped himself up on his elbows and observed his surroundings. He was lying in bed, the sheets crinkled and Ariadne wasn't to be found. At least, she wasn't in the room with him. Lying back down, he let out a heavy sign and closed his eyes.

"Hey, you're up." A tiny voice came from the doorway and when he looked to the door, he was speechless.

Ariadne leaned against the doorframe, clad in an olive green dress shirt, the one that Arthur had worn when they first met. The sleeves were rolled up to her elbows and the shirt hung loosely on her tiny frame. Her hair was messed up from the previous night's sleep. She moved closer to the bed and sat down on the edge.

"Hey…yeah. How long have you been up?" He sat up and Ariadne brought her legs up onto the bed, facing him, her hands in her lap.

"Couple hours? I couldn't sleep. Hope you don't mind I borrowed your shirt." She tugged on the upturned collar of her shirt.

"Well, if it's any consolation, it looks better on you than it ever did on me." He grinned and pulled her away from the edge of the bed, laid down, facing her.

"So what are we going to do today?" Ariadne asked, intertwining her fingers with Arthur's.

"Well. We could go out, get some lunch and go down to the beach or…" Arthur scooted closer to Ariadne, his index finger tracing a line up her exposed arm, goose bumps making an appearance on her skin.

"Or…?" a mischievous, yet somehow innocent, smile presented itself on Ariadne's face.

"Or we could stay inside and…" Arthur trailed off as he nuzzled his face into her neck, her perfume invading his senses once again.

"Hmm, staying inside sounds better. Not much of a beach person." He felt her hands move to work on the buttons of his plaid shirt, the same mischievous smile on her face. In retaliation, or curiosity, he reached to undo the buttons of her shirt – his shirt – revealing her collarbones. He felt like a teenager again, making out with a girl at a party during a game of seven minutes in heaven. He was happy, though. Ariadne didn't recoil every time he touched her. She genuinely seemed to like him, and wasn't pretending just because he'd expressed his feelings for her first.

Abruptly, Ariadne sat up and created space between her and Arthur. He sat up a moment after her, a concerned look on his face. He touched her shoulder delicately. "What's wrong?"

"Your phone's ringing."

Arthur sighed heavily, getting off the bed and heading to the kitchen to answer the phone. The moment was ruined and Arthur was irritated. Whoever was calling had better be dying or need his help.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Arthur. It's Cobb." And then there was Cobb. Try as he might, Arthur couldn't be mad at Cobb.

"Hey Dom. How're the kids?"

"They're great. Happy I'm back."

"That's good."

A moment of silence. "So, listen. I'm having a dinner party and I'd like you to be there. It's just going to be the team and Saito. I haven't been able to get a hold of Ariadne, so could you tell her?"

"Sure, I'll be there. What time?"

"Around 6."

"Alright. See you tonight, bye." Arthur hung up the phone and retraced his steps back into the bedroom. Ariadne sat cross legged at the head of the bed, buttons redone up.

"Who was that?"

"Dom. He's having a dinner party for the team and he wants us to be there."

"Sound's fun. It'll be nice to see everyone again."

**xxx**

"We can leave right now, y'know." Arthur joked as he and Ariadne stood on Dom's front stoop. She wore a knee length black lace dress with a royal blue lining and a deep v neckline. He, on the other hand, wore a simple black suit, white shirt and a black skinny tie. They'd expect no less from anyone else. They all seemed to dress formally even in casual wear.

Ariadne smacked his arm, playfully. "No. We're going inside. We haven't seen them since Fischer. It'd be nice to catch up." She reached to press the doorbell and after a few moments, Cobb opened the door, a wide smile on his face. They exchanged pleasantries and headed inside. They'd been the last ones to arrive, so they were greeted by Eames, Yusuf and Saito when they entered the dining room.

"Ah, Arthur, darling, long time no see. Ariadne, you look wonderful tonight. How are you both?"

"We're good. Glad to see everyone again." Arthur watched as Eames eyed Ariadne in her surprising attire. She always preferred to wear jeans or slacks, printed or plain button up shirts, gaudy coloured cardigans and worn out motorcycle boots. And while he admired her unique sense of style, the dress she had worn was an accepted, and welcomed, change. Eames seemed to prefer the dress over her normal attire. Maybe too much.

Their conversation was short, as it was announced that dinner was ready to be served. In their short conversation, it was determined that Eames had spent a week in Las Vegas before returning to LA. Surprisingly, he had stayed out of trouble and didn't invade anyone's mind with the projection of an attractive blonde woman.

They ate, while laughing and telling stories of past jobs they had done together or individually. They spoke of various demonstrations they had used to display and explain various techniques. The kicks and the Paradox staircases being mentioned from the Fischer job. They retired to the living room where Cobb announced that they had another job.

"Another job? Don't you think it's too soon?" Eames, being the concerned one, asked.

"Is it another inception?" Ariadne this time.

"No, it's just an extraction. An inception so soon after we did the Fischer job would be difficult and dangerous. We just need to get inside The Mark's mind and steal an idea, some information."

"Where is this job?" Arthur spoke now.

"Here. In LA. I don't want to leave the kids seeing as I just got back."

"When do we do the job?" Yusuf asked, having remained silent for most of the night.

"Two weeks from today. The Mark is a woman named Patricia Batoul. She's the head of a multi-million dollar biotech firm here in LA. Their biggest competitors, through word of mouth, found us and want us to find out what they're creating." Cobb glanced over at Saito, who had a muted grin on his face. Figures he'd be the one who told Batoul's rivals about The Team. "It shouldn't be that hard. Get in, find out what they're creating, and get out."

Ariadne would build the dream world; make it so real to Patricia that she would believe she's not dreaming, that it is, in fact, reality. Arthur would research the woman, find out every little detail about her, and at the same time, make sure Cobb didn't send a freight train through the streets. Again. Yusuf would provide the somnacin to keep them under while they extracted information. Eames would forge identities, become someone close to Patricia. Maybe there was an older sister, or a family member, that she had a weakness for, the one person she would do anything for. Then there was Saito. Saito would play the businessman interested in the company. He was their ticket to getting inside her head, literally.

They discussed the job some more, relaying all details of how it would go down, until they had polished off a bottle or two of wine. Arthur hardly touched his glass, opting for water instead, and watched with a smirk as Eames downed glass after glass. It was time to go, and everyone thanked Cobb for having them over, as well as the good food. Arthur and Ariadne were the only ones left after a few minutes.

"I'll meet you in the car, okay?" Ariadne turned to Cobb, placing a hand on his arm. "It was good to see you again, Cobb." She left, leaving Arthur and Cobb alone.

"Thanks for coming, Arthur."

"You know I would." A moment of silence. "How are things?"

"They're hard, without Mal. James still asks for her. He's too young to understand, you know?"

Arthur nodded. "I should go. Call if you need anything, okay?" He shook Cobb's hand and headed to the car, turning just as Cobb closed the front door. Arthur climbed into the driver's seat and closed the door with a sigh.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah."

They rode in silence back to Arthur's apartment. She was watching him, he could tell, but his eyes never deviated from the road. When they got back, he placed the key into the door and went inside. An awkward air of silence filled the room as Ariadne closed the door with a click. He wasn't mad. In fact, he was far from mad. He felt some sympathy for Cobb, having to deal with two small children and the death of their mother, not being able to explain in a way that they would understand.

Arthur tossed his coat on the couch, along with his tie, and undid the top button on his shirt and the buttons on his cuffs. Besides the dinner party, they had done nothing that required a lot of energy, yet he was still tired. Arthur headed to the bedroom, a long yawn escaping his mouth. He laid down in the dark, alone with his thoughts, until Ariadne had climbed into bed next to him. She put her head on his chest, listening to the steady beating of his heart. They didn't speak and soon, they were both asleep.


	5. Chapter 5: Research & Wise Words

When Arthur wakes up, he's alone. Much like the day before, except there is no low buzzing of the TV in the living room. There is no scent of freshly brewed coffee coming from the kitchen. Everything is still.

And then there's a noise.

A frustrated, exasperated sigh comes from the living room. Crumpling paper tossed into a pile. She's drawing and something is wrong.

Arthur wipes the sleep from his eyes and shuffles into the living room. Ariadne is sitting on the couch, a stack of paper in her lap, a pen poised and ready to draw in her hand and an even larger pile of crumpled paper on the table. Potential labyrinths are spread out around her. She is a caterpillar wrapped in a paper cocoon. He's never seen her like this. Agitated, a pale comparison to the calm, collected person he had gone to bed with last night.

"I can't do this." She mutters, tossing the pen into the avalanche of white paper on the table.

"How long have you been doing this?" Arthur speaks, barely above a whisper. Picking up the papers on the couch, he sits down next to her. It's nearly 10 AM.

"I don't know, 5 maybe?" she runs a hand over her forehead, a yawn escaping. "I just can't seem to make a good enough labyrinth."

"You're tired, Ari." He places a hand under her chin and turns her face towards him. "Go get some sleep. There's nothing to do anyway. I'll be doing research all day." He gives her a quick kiss. "So go."

Ariadne nods and gets up, heading for the bedroom. She stops and turns to face Arthur, still sitting on the couch. "Can I ask you something?"

"Hit me."

"Last night, when you said that everything was okay. Was that a lie?"

""I'll explain later.." Without another word, Ariadne disappears down the hall to th bedroom and closes the door, sealing herself off from the rest of the apartment.

SO she was worried about him. His behaviour in the car, the silence, the sullenness, was uncharacteristic and unexpected, now that he'd let down his guard and shown her the real him. The caring, passionate person who would do anything for the people in his life. It would have been easier to keep that part of himself hidden but he couldn't seem to. Not with Ariadne.

He'd explain about Cobb later. For now, he needed to research Patricia Batoul. Someone as highly publicized as her, it'd be easy to do a few Google searches to find the information the team needed.

Arthur dragged a chair over to the rarely used dining room table where his laptop sat. It was scratched and had scuff marks from all the time it spent traveling to various parts of the world with him. He pulled the internet up and, his fingers clicking against the keys, typed their new mark's name into the search engine. The search revealed a myriad of different sites; the biotech company's website, a Wikipedia page for both the company and Patricia and – jackpot – a blog that she had set up. With the website for the company and Patricia's blog opened, he began his research.

The company website revealed little about the woman behind the business than the business itself. The blog, while a documentation of her work with the company, was a lot more revealing than the company site. With enough digging, Arthur had uncovered the following information.

- Patricia was much like Fischer, in that she had the company handed to her when her father died, which in 3 weeks time was 10 years ago.

- She has been married for 5 years with 2 children, a boy (Adam) and a girl (Clare), aged 3 & 4 respectively.

- Has an older sister, Carla, whom she barely speaks to because of a falling out after their father died. An obvious weakpoint, one that Eames might be able to exploit. Also has two younger brothers, Brian and Martin.

He had discovered a few entries about something she had described as 'life changing' and the company was doing trials on said life changing product. Unbeknown to him, hours had passed. His eyes hurt from scanning hundreds, if not thousands, or web pages dedicated to Patricia. If Arthur was one thing, it was thorough.

"If you sit and stare at that, you'll ruin your eyesight." A now calm Ariadne stated matter-of-factly.

Arthur let out a loud yawn and joined Ariadne on the couch in the living room. She didn't pick up the pen and paper. She just looked at Arthur with an 'Alright, explain' look on her face.

"You want to know what's going on?" She nods. "Alright. Dom's kids don't quite understand that their mom, Mal, is gone. They're too young. He's struggling and I can't do anything." He sounded vulnerable in that moment, until he continued with a more Arthur like statement. "I just don't want anything bad to happen that might compromise the job."

"I'm sure everything will be fine." She offers him a reassuring smile. "Hey, can I talk to you about something?"

Arthur nods, eyes focused on the papers on the table and the PASIV in the chair next to the table.

"It's about us."

His eyes move to hers, his brow furrowed. Had he done something wrong?

"There's so much going on lately, what with the job and Miles letting me go back to class later than normal and I just think we should take things slow, y'know? I don't want things to be awkward between us when I go back to Paris."

He can't talk. It's like someone ripped out his vocal chords. He just nods.

**_4 Days Later.  
Cobb's house._**

The team gathers together and shares the progress they made in the past week. The job was a week away and they needed to be prepared. They sit on couches and chairs in the living room, arranged in a circle.

Ariadne had finally created a dream world suitable for the job but kept the design hidden from everyone, including Arthur. They didn't need another train barreling through their plan because Dom couldn't control his thoughts about Mal.

Most of Arthur's information was for Eames, including pictures of Patricia's siblings. He shared the information with the others, because not only did they need to be in the know, but they needed to know what to look for in the dream world. Any indication of where they may be keeping this top secret product.

Saito had successfully contacted Patricia and expressed interest in becoming a shareholder in her company. She had agreed to meet him approximately a week from today. Yusuf had concocted more somnacin for the team to use while they completed the job.

"Good job, everyone." Cobb said, sounding ever like the Papa bear of the Team.

Arthur excused himself from the room to grab a drink and he noticed Eames following right behind him. They were out of view of the others when Arthur turned to confront Eames. He had followed Arthur for a reason, not because he wanted a drink. If he did, he would have asked Arthur to get him one.

"What do you want, Eames?"

"I know about you and Ariadne." Eames spoke in a hushed voice. "It isn't like you hide it very well. I see the way you look at her. All goo goo eyed. It's disgusting, really."

Arthur looked less than impressed. It figured Eames would know. He noticed the most absurd things about people. Like how Saito found accomplishment and value in helping the team out in the smallest of ways. Or how Arthur, according to Eames, somehow spoke differently when talking to Ariadne than he did when he spoke to Eames.

"Well as much as I hate you knowing, pretty soon there won't be much to know. She's going back to Paris after the job is done. Back to class and her life in Paris and I can't change her mind."

"Have you told her you love her?"

"No."

"Then tell her, darling. Do something extraordinary. Sweep her off her feet. Make her want to stay. Give her a reason to stay." Eames clapped a hand on Arthur's shoulder and went back to the others.


	6. Chapter 6: The Job

**A/N: italics = dream world. (:**

xxx

Sundays were always boring. There was never anything to do, unless you were the team. The day had come for them to invade Patricia's mind and steal an idea. Since no one worked on Sunday, Saito was meeting Patricia in the boardroom at her company. When Saito managed to slip the somnacin into Patricia's drink, presumably water, the team would go to work.

xxx

Saito entered the main building of the biotech company. The offices were separate from the labs and work areas so the current building was a set of ten or eleven singular offices and a large boardroom off to the right. He was greeted inside the building by Patricia and led into the board room. Saito offered to get a glass of water for Patricia while she grabbed a pen, a pad of paper and possible paperwork to work on a deal with Saito. With his back turned to her, he slipped the small vial of somnacin into her glass and handed it to her. They couldn't afford to waste time.

"So Mr. Saito, you're interested in becoming a business partner, I hear." Patricia stated cheerily, taking a sip of the water. It wouldn't be long before the somnacin kicked in and the team could get to work.

"Yes, I am." He nodded, smiling a wise, old smile.

Outside the office, Arthur and Ariadne sat in one car while Eames and Cobb sat in another. The PASIV sits in the backseat with enough needles for the four of them, plus Patricia. While they were inside of her head, Saito and Yusuf would keep guard outside the doors to make sure no one interrupted them and jeopardized the job.

"Is your stuff all packed?" Arthur asks, feeling a heart squeezing pang of pain in his chest. He thought long and hard about Eames' advice and planned on taking it. If only he could figure out a way to make it happen. He needed a plan but he was drawing a blank.

Ariadne nods absently, watching the door for any sign of Saito. "Yeah. It was never really unpacked, I suppose."

When Saito appears, the four of them steal away into the building and follow Saito into the boardroom. Patricia is slumped over in a chair at the long boardroom table. Arthur places the PASIV on the table and opens it. Handing IV's to Cobb, Eames and Ariadne, he places one in Patricia's arm and one in his.

Before going into the dreamscape, Cobb addresses them. "I'll find the information. Eames will distract her. Let's make sure nothing goes wrong, okay?" They all nod and are thrust into the dream.

_The dream world was the biotech company. Filled with a dozen or so offices, including Patricia's, Cobb would have to work quickly to find the information they needed. The only one who had a legitimate disguise was Eames. Arthur, Cobb and Ariadne would have to improvise but, as they were dressed like business people, they snuck into the nearest office and began their search. Everything was her information. Every picture hanging was a picture of her kids, her husband, her siblings or her parents. They were looking for a safe, or something with a padlock, to keep everyone except the owner, Patricia, out. That's where the information would be hidden. _

_Disguised as Clare, Eames knocked on Patricia's office door. He waited a moment before Patricia opened the door, a surprised look on her face._

_Little time had passed before Ariadne had peered out of the office to see Patricia and Clare – Eames – entering the boardroom. Clearly, a more convenient place to sit and chat. She turned to Cobb and Arthur, who had practically trashed the room to find what they were looking for, and said, "Coast's clear. Patricia and Eames are in the boardroom."_

_Cobb nodded and stealthily headed to her office. Arthur and Ariadne stayed in the small office. They could do nothing but wait, either until they had completed the job successfully or until something went wrong and caused trouble for the team. A silence built between them until Cobb burst through the door, a stack of paper's in his hand._

_"Got it."_

_"Good, now we can go. Who's going to be the first one back to reality?" Ariadne asked, glancing from Cobb to Arthur. Arthur looked to Cobb, who looked back at him with raised eyebrows, as if to say 'You first.'_

_"Fine, I'll go first." Arthur closed his eyes as Cobb aimed with his gun to shoot and kill so Arthur woke up.  
_

Arthur blinked multiple times, eyes adjusting to the fluorescent lighting in the boardroom. Yusuf stood within the doors as Saito stood outside. Arthur pulled the needle out of his wrist delicately and addressed Yusuf with quickness. "We found the information. We need to get them back to reality."

Yusuf pulled out a tape player, undoubtedly the one from the Fischer job, along with a pair of headphones. He held it up in the air, a cheesy grin on his face. "Music?"

_Eames finished his meeting with Patricia, and as she went back to her office, snuck Ariadne and Cobb out of the building. He had told her that, for the sake of their children, they should reconcile their differences so they didn't have the same relationship Patricia and Clare did with their aunts and uncles._

_"Did you find the information we needed?" Eames asked, no longer Clare._

_"Yeah, it seems they're developing some sort of…"_

_Ariadne tuned out their conversation, looking at the surroundings. Pharmacies and clothing stores, mainly boutiques, lined one street, the office building on the other, a large parking lot to the left, a road cutting through the middle. No freight train, but someone familiar stood across the street, wearing the same thing as the first time they met._

"_Mal." Ariadne mouthed the familiar name. She looked back at Eames and Cobb, still engrossed in their conversation. Her breathing became heavier as she looked across the street, only to find Mal crossing over to her side._

_Ariadne blinked. How was this possible? Cobb had let go of Mal. She was in limbo, where she should be. She shouldn't be here. Mal didn't speak, instead, she just stared at her. Ariadne looked around but she was alone. Cobb and Eames were gone. But why was she still here?_

_Before she knew it, Mal was right in front of her, a gun cocked and loaded, pointed at Ariadne's forehead. Why was she the only one without a gun?_

_"Silly little girl, getting caught up in things that are way above your head."_

Gasping for air, Ariadne woke in reality to find that Eames and Cobb were already awake. She pulled the needle out, however indelicately, and left the boardroom quickly, without a word. Concerned, Arthur followed after her.

"Hey, Ari." He gripped her wrist, "What's wrong?"

"She was there."

"Who?"

Mal! Cobb didn't know anything about the layout! She shouldn't have been there!"

Arthur pulls her close, a hand on her back and one holding the back of her head. She resists at first, pounding her fists against his chest. "She wasn't supposed to be there…" She mumbles into his shirt.

"I know. But she can't hurt you, now. You're safe. I'm here."


	7. Chapter 7: Goodbye Blues

**A/N: Short one. But, I'm updating with two today. So I hope that makes up for it. xo**

xxx

Arthur spends most of the night staring at the ceiling. Ariadne wakes up every hour or so, each time asking if he was awake. Each time, he said yes or she shook him to wake him up. Each time, she'd reply with an 'okay' and drift back to sleep. He believed that just knowing he was awake provided her with a higher sense of security that he being asleep didn't offer. He thought, however, that if she talked about what was going on inside her head, she might sleep for more than an hour or two. But, each time he asked, she simply replied 'no' and went back to sleep. She still didn't understand why Mal had been in the dream. He didn't understand it much either.

Mal had been a constant fixture in Cobb's dreams and the jobs they had done together and she had never found a way into Arthur's dreams. So why was she suddenly in Ariadne's? He couldn't possibly explain it, let alone know if it was actually possible. It shouldn't have been possible. And yet, it still puzzled Arthur.

"Arthur?"

He mumbles, a bare arm covering most of his mouth. "I'm awake."

"Okay."

"Do you want to talk about what's keeping you up?"

"No."

xxx

When they finally get enough sleep to function like normal people, it's early afternoon. 1:37 to be exact. Her plane leaves at 8 PM. He still has no plan.

Ariande is up and dressed before Arthur decides to drag his lazy bones out of bed. "We should go get some lunch." She proposes cheerily, pulling a cardigan over her shoulders.

Arthur nods in response, stumbling over to his closet. Filled with dress shirts, dress pants, nearly knew or rarely worn sweaters and shiny black shoes, it would have been a miracle for him to own a pair of jeans. He chooses a dark sweater, a striped button down and a pair of black pants and they're out the door. He has less than eight hours to think up a plan or risk losing Ariadne for…He didn't want to think about that.

They decide on a tiny restaurant a couple blocks from Arthur's apartment and they sit on the patio surrounded by couples, families and groups of friends, all chatting and laughing. They order and eat, relatively in silence. When they finish, Ariadne's the first to speak.

"I'm sorry for constantly waking you up last night."

"It's okay." He offers her a sympathetic, understanding smile. A short silence. "You happy to be going back to Paris?"

"Yes," She says and Arthur notices a sparkle in her eye. She misses it. "I'm not excited about what I've missed in class though."

"You'll catch up. You're a quick learner."

They talk a little while longer, before paying the check.

xxx

By 4:30, Ariadne has called Cobb, Eames, Saito and Yusuf to say goodbye. She thanks Cobb for letting her be a part of the team, for everything. Her bag is by the door, her passport and plane tickets are on the kitchen counter. She and Arthur stand awkwardly in the kitchen. She has to check in soon.

"I'd better go." She takes hold of her luggage handle, passport and plane ticket.

Arthur nods. He's too late. "Have a safe flight."

Ariadne turns to open the door, hesitating for a moment. She lowers her arm when he doesn't stop her. "Don't you want me to stay?"

"Of course I do. But you've made up your mind to go back to Paris. We both knew this -" he gestures between the two of them. "-wouldn't last." It hurts for him to say, but he knows, they both know, it's true.

Ariadne tenses. He takes a step towards her, reaching out for her. "Don't." She states, moving away from his touch. "You're right. I guess I was a fool for believing it'd work out." She opens the door, "I'll call when I land."


	8. Chapter 8: What I Did For Love

**A/N: I envisioned this to be taking place around the summer months, making Ariadne leave around mid-September. Should have clarified. There's also significant time jumps but I hope I made everything clear. (: Happy reading. xo**

xxx

**Los Angeles, USA**

Arthur calls Ariadne once or twice a week, checking to see how things are going. He feels bad about the way they left things. He occupies time with various jobs with Cobb and Eames, nights out or staying in. Once or twice Eames convinces Arthur to go with him to Vegas for a little gambling. Arthur only agrees because he never takes no for an answer and because it keeps his thoughts away from missing Ariadne.

When she no longer answers her phone, he stops calling.

**Paris, France**

_She's in a hotel. The lobby is large, a front desk at one end, a lounge and bar area to the right and a dining hall to the left. An elegant crystal and diamond chandelier hangs above Ariadne's head. The hotel is bathed in beige tones with red accents._

_To the left, from the dining hall, comes a gunshot. Panic sets in, but no one around her seems to have noticed. She walks calmly but rather quickly inside of the dining hall, breaking into a sprint when she sees someone, a man, lying on the ground. When she approaches him, her breath catches in her throat._

_It was Arthur._

_The front of his beige vest and jacket are stained with blood. His hands are no different. Ariadne crouches down beside him and props him up against her legs. She cradles his head in her arms, one under his neck for support, the other draped cross the chest, her hand resting on his cheek. He's still breathing, however faintly._

_A wave of guilt and remorse washes over her. She's treated him badly since she got back to Paris. Not answering his phone calls, or using school as an excuse to cut a conversation short._  
_  
"Arthur?" She speaks quietly as if she didn't want anyone to hear except him. "Arthur…please open your eyes." _

_As if on command, he does and looks up at her. The pain he's feeling is mirrored through the pain she sees in his eyes. He opens his mouth to speak, nothing but gurgles of blood and saliva comes out…  
_  
Ariadne's eyes fly open. She'd fallen asleep on the couch in her flat while studying. Her flat is messier than when she left. Books are scattered everywhere, open to various pages. Her way of studying.

Tossing her textbook aside, she get up off the couch and goes over to the phone. Ariadne picks it up out of its base, fingers punching in the familiar numbers that would connect her to Arthur's voice, a million miles away.

He doesn't pick up, though. Instead, she hears Eames' voice on the other end of the line. _"Hello?"_

"Eames?"

_"Ah, Ariadne. Hello, how are you?"_

"I'm fine…Is Arthur there?"

_A short silence. Like he's contemplating whether or not to lie to her or tell her the truth. "Not at the moment, no."_

"Where is he?"

_"He's indisposed. He can't come to the phone right now."  
_  
Ariadne sighs, "Are you lying to me, Eames?"  
_  
"Me? Lie? Why, no."_

"Just…tell me something. Is he alright?"

_"He's perfectly fine, darling. Nothing to worry about."  
_  
"Well, tell him I say hi. Bye, Eames." Ariadne hangs up and goes to study.

**Los Angeles, USA**

It's three weeks before Christmas. Eames has spent the last few weeks sleeping on Arthur's couch. When Arthur wakes up, though, Eames is gone. There's not a single trace of him in the apartment, except a piece of paper and a sealed envelope on the kitchen counter. Arthur picks up the paper and reads over it.

_Arthur,_

_You've been so miserable for the past few months. Ever since Ariadne left, and you may think you've hidden how you've felt, but you haven't. I see that you miss her. Being almost six thousand miles away from the woman you love is hard._

_In the envelope is one plane ticket to Paris. Consider it an early birthday present from me._

_The flight leaves in six hours. Go be with Ariadne._

_- Eames._

Arthur can't stop the stupid smile growing on his face. As much as Eames was a pain in the ass to work with, he could seem caring and thoughtful. Like a friend to Arthur, he cared about how he felt.

**Paris, France**

In December, Paris is pulled out of its autumn quiet and lit up. Up and down boulevards and streets, trees are strung with garland and lights, shop windows are adorned with lights and festive decorations. It's chillier than Los Angeles, but Arthur doesn't mind.

After he lands, he calls up Miles and tells him that he needs to see Ariadne. He tells Miles it's a surprise and doesn't want her to know, but he wants Miles to track her down and, after her last class, go to the atrium in the University. Arthur would meet her there and surprise her. Miles informs him that her last class would be ending in 45 minutes, so he'd better be quick.

Arthur rushes around Parisian streets, finding the two things he needs before he meets Ariadne; a single red rose (how cliché) and a small box of vanilla, chocolate and raspberry macarons (she'd mentioned once or twice that they were her favourite.) He makes it to the University with two minutes to spare. He can hear them talking as they approach the atrium.

_"I don't understand why you want me to go to the atrium. I'm done for the day. I want to go home."_

_"Just go. You won't regret it." _Miles gives her a small push into the atrium, a smile plastered on his face.

When she sees him, she has to blink several times before she realizes she's not dreaming. She sees that he's holding the flower and the small pastel coloured box. "What are you doing here? In Paris?"

"I don't like the way we ended things, Ari. It wasn't right. I felt bad and I thought about how that situation could have played out. In my head, it was better and so much different." He takes a few steps towards her, closing some of the large, awkward gap between them. "So, I came to say I'm sorry. I was wrong. I want us to work out, Ariadne and…"

"And?"

"God, I hate saying that Eames was right about anything, but he was."

"What are you talking about?"

"I love you, Ariadne."

**A/N: Significantly longer than I thought it would be. Second chapter for today. I hope you liked it, my lovelies. 3**


	9. Chapter 9: I'm Yours Tonight

**A/N: Thought I forgot about you? Life got in the way. Sorry it's been forever.**

xx

_I love you, Ariadne."_

xx

She stands motionless near the entrance of the atrium. There's a considerable distance between her and Arthur, but she's noticed that he's slowly made his way over to her, a couple steps with each word spoken. She heard him but doesn't say anything.

"Ariadne?" The tone of his voice is a mixture of confusion and concern. He's moved closer, still.

She wants to tell him that she loves him too, but something stops her. Maybe it was the three months and thousands of miles they spent apart, the way they had left things. But doesn't absence make the heart grow fonder? When she finally does speak, it's barely above a whisper. Like this was their secret. "Can we please talk about this at my flat?"

He nods, in agreement and partial defeat.

xx

Ariadne's flat is in no shape for entertaining company. She picks up a few things here and there before taking a seat on the couch next to Arthur. She reaches out and takes the rose he holds limply in his hand, the sweets in the other.

"You came all the way to Paris to tell me you loved me?"

He only nods.

"That's sweet, Arthur."

He looks over at her, notices her downcast eyes and asks, "Something wrong?"

"I had a dream – nightmare – about you."

"Oh?"

She nods, reluctant to tell him. "You were…you were dying. I couldn't…I couldn't save you. I tried calling when I woke up. I thought you were…when Eames answered, I thought you were…" She can't finish, she changes the topic, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I love you too, Arthur."

xx

That night, they go out for a cosy, romantic dinner in Paris' Latin Quarter. They catch up. She tells him about all her classes, what's she's been doing since she left. Between the two of them, they consume a bottle of wine, and head back to Ariadne's flat.

They don't bother with the lights and consequently, end up knocking over piles of books, research papers and movies stacked up on the floor as they navigate their way around her flat. Arthur snagged a belt loop and pulled Ariadne closer to him.

"I missed you, Ari." He admits, kissing her neck and jaw line.

"I missed you, too." Ariadne's heart bumps around inside her chest; she wants to be closer to him. She relaxes into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm glad you're here."

"I don't have to go back. To LA. At least not right away."

"Then don't. Stay here with me over the holidays. Until the New year." He's about to speak, agree and tell her he will, but she places a finger on his lips. "No more talking."

She walks down a short hallway, holding Arthur's hand. He stops her, pointedly looks her in the eyes and asks, "Are you sure about this? I don't want to rush anything…"

"Yea, Arthur. I'm sure." Ariadne gives him a reassuring smile. If she was sure of anything at that moment, it was this.

xx

Arthur lies awake; Ariadne curled up under his arm. The clock beside her bed reads 2 AM. Sleep is his enemy. No matter how hard he tries, he can't sleep. He can't stop thinking about the botched job back in LA. The Mark had realized that something was wrong, and as a result, he had been shot in the chest (right side), a scar a couple inches below his clavicle. He didn't tell her because he didn't want her to worry, especially after she'd dreamt that he died.

He closed his eyes, trying to block out the images that flooded his mind. The gun going off, his bloodstained shirt, the car ride to the hospital, the stitches and pain killers. Instinctively, as if reliving the moment and feeling the immense pain, he placed a hand over the small scar.

xx

**A/N: Blargh. Sorry it's short/terrible. Uhm, so, next chapter…Eames visits, causes problems (oh ho.), it's Christmas and Arthur ice skates. Giving you ~hints. Since I actually have time to write now, it'll be up in a day or two. I promise!**


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